Even within the d/Deaf and hard of hearing umbrella, our access needs and identities vary widely. That in-between space can feel like nowhere—not “hearing enough” for the hearing world, not “Deaf enough” for Deaf spaces.

Because the very small blood vessels in the inner ear can be narrowed by the presence of an increase in blood glucose, the function of the inner ear hair cells can be affected. The first symptom might be tinnitus or an inability to hear words clearly.

Living without the sense of hearing may bring barriers, but it does not mean living without independence or success. Our role, as people with typical hearing, is to listen, support, and work to improve the systems that are built around us.

At the time of his death, Hudspeth was pursuing new approaches to restoring hearing through hair cell regeneration, and his lab had recently published work demonstrating the first method for keeping a mammalian cochlea alive outside of the body—an innovation that will provide future researchers with an unprecedented means for studying the cochlea’s live biomechanics.

While the cochlear implant was mapped to set sound frequencies, I heard a soft, staticky noise. I later learned I was hearing a rain downpour and thunder coming from outside the clinic.

For someone with a hidden disability, being held to standards of behavior that you cannot meet simply because someone cannot see your disability is a constant challenge. 

A recent study has confirmed what we always knew: Men don’t listen in the same way women do—but not for the reasons many of us think.

It’s ironic and puzzling that when going to hearing clinics, patients who need help with their hearing have to somehow hear and respond to staff.

Two people have the same audiogram results but one can follow conversations at a loud party, while the other feels completely lost and overwhelmed. We set out to examine why.

I had been a crewman on a destroyer and as I recall was never offered hearing protection during live firing. Naval guns are big and loud! After Covid I noticed difficulty understanding my patients, even with prescription hearing aids. 

Before I discovered CART, I often felt left out, despite being physically present. This gap in awareness affects thousands of people. That’s why I speak up, because access delayed is opportunity denied.

New research has identified how two distinct genes guide the regeneration of sensory cells in zebrafish. The discovery improves our understanding of how regeneration works in zebrafish and may guide future studies on hearing loss and regenerative medicine in mammals, including humans.